9. Family/school relationships

Because families vary in their relationship to schools, schools
must use different strategies to engage all families in the learning lives of
their children.

Research findings

Family/school relationships may be viewed as corresponding to
three historical phases of economic development. In the first phase, typical of
agricultural societies, but also of some families in all societies, the family
lives at a subsistence level, relying on children for work (or, more commonly in
modern States, for emotional comfort). In this situation, the family may limit
the educational potential of the child, and the schools role is to expand
the possibilities for the childs development. In the second phase, common
to the industrial economy, the goals of the family and the school converge, with
both institutions seeking the improvement of the childs ultimate economic
situation. In the third phase, that of post-industrial affluence, parents find
the demands of child-rearing competing with the pursuits of their adult lives.
They expect the school to fill the void.

Application

In modern societies, we find all three types of families
described in the previous paragraph. Placing any family in a category can be an
injustice to that family, but characterizing common family situations and
strategies for engaging them can be instructive.

DISTRESSED FAMILIES

Some families, usually those living in poverty, are severely
pressed by the demands of everyday life. They often possess limited parenting
skills lack social contacts and have access to few models of good child-rearing
practices. They may be intimidated by teachers and see the school as a bearer of
bad news. They are likely to perceive that they are targets of discrimination.
Parent education programmes that show them how to relate to their children are
helpful but first they need genuine, personal expressions of goodwill from
school personnel and other parents. They must be engaged within a
non-threatening, positive and supportive social context, often provided by other
parents rather than by school personnel.

CHILD-CENTRED FAMILIES

The child-centred family understands the necessity of schooling
to the economic betterment of their children. These families often fear that the
school is inadequately attentive to then children. They are frustrated by what
they perceive as negative social influences and they may cast aspersions upon
other parents, whom they see as lax and uncaring. On the other hand these
parents are willing to work for then childrens school provide leadership
among parents, and serve as surrogate parents for neglected children. They are
best engaged by giving them constructive roles in the school and opportunities
to work with other parents. The challenge for the school is to channel the
efforts of child-centred parents toward activities that benefit the academic and
personal development of their own children and of other children. Child-centred
parents make wonderful leaders for parent education programmes.

PARENT-CENTRED FAMILIES

Busy professional parents value schooling but are sometimes so
absorbed by their careers and personal interests that theyare disengaged
from close involvement in their childrens lives. To compensate, they place
their children in the best schools thus entrusting then children to what they
see as competent, hired professionals. They do the same in other aspects of then
childrens lives, providing experiences for their children through
programmes and services they employ. These talented, well-connected parents
possess financial resources education, social contacts and professional skills.
They must be re-engaged with their children by means that are nearly spiritual.
Their conversion comes through the heart. If directed into intimate
relationships with their children, they are reminded of the satisfaction that
they deny themselves by relegating child-rearing responsibilities to others.